By Story and photos by YIP YOKE TENG | Jan 13, 2010
No hustle and bustle at largest covered boulevard
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Being stripped bare: The kiosks and structures in the middle of the boulevard of the centre being taken down.
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THE NiuZeXui commercial centre in Ara Damansara was touted as the “largest covered boulevard” in the country and “most exciting property investment in 2007” when it was launched.
While its colourful outdoor advertisements featuring a blue bull still attract attention along the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, this is in stark contrast to the commercial centre’s current state of affairs.
The commercial centre is hardly 20% occupied now. Only the row of outlets in the front and a few inside the boulevard are operating as usual. The rest which used to be occupied by big international brands are now vacant.
Statues and posters of Disney characters from the commercial centre’s previous promotion are still in place but the business kiosks and structures are being taken down.
Air-conditioning hoses, steel frames and planks removed from the outlets are piled on the floor.
A person-in-charge at the management office, when approached, said the commercial centre was only undergoing upgrading works and the tenants would come back once the renovations are completed.
The tenants, who are still operating there, said they were in the dark about what was happening at the centre.
“We were told that they were renovating this place to make it better,” one of them said.
However, the silence and tapes cordoning off selected areas, including the car park, indicate that something is wrong.
Several workers loitering about in the area said the commercial centre had been quiet due to inconvenient access and that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had ordered that kiosks and structures in the middle of the boulevard be taken down.
When contacted, MBPJ confirmed that they issued the order as the permits had expired and renewal was not approved because the relevant regulations had not been fully complied with.
The council would issue a statement in the near future to explain the matter in details.
Attempts to reach the developer proved futile.
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